Teamwork - The Foundation of Our Success

It's almost a truism today that a company's people are its greatest asset.  But at Scott A. Goffstein & Associates, this is definitely the case.  We believe in the skills, talents and commitments of our people.  And, as you'll see, together they provide a group that we proudly refer to as Team Scott A. Goffstein.  It is the combination of their talent and ability to work as a team that we believe sets us apart from the rest.

Our Partners

Deborah B. Keenan, C.P.A.

Debbie Keenan is a CPA who brings an unusual ability to understand the whole range of complex tax and accounting issues facing a client.  She's been with the firm since 1992 and in that time has become involved with a wide variety of companies.  Before joining the firm, Debbie worked in the tax department of The Boston Company handling tax matters for high net worth individuals.  Before that, she was in the accounting department of an office supply company.  Debbie graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting.  She is a member of the Massachusetts Society of CPA's.  She lives in Malden when she's not skiing in Vermont.

Michael J. Higgins, C.P.A.

Michael Higgins is a CPA with an expertise in a wide range of corporate tax matters.  He has been with the firm since 1995 and in that time he has successfully handled tax problems and related issues for a multitude of different companies in a broad range of industries.  Michael is a member of the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants.  He graduated from Salem State College with a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in accounting.  He lives with his wife and children in Salem.

Our Staff

Tina Ahern

Tina Ahern is a staff member with many years experience in private industry. Prior to joining the firm she worked for an international based company in the high technology arena. There she served in multiple roles such as office manager, financial assistant, and tradeshow consultant. At the time she left the company, she was acting controller in the accounting department. Tina currently supports the outsourced accounting division of the firm assisting clients with accounting and tax matters. Tina earned a B.S. in Accounting from Northeastern University. She lives in Arlington, MA with her husband and three children.

Sanghita Baishya

Sanghita has varied experience in the field of accounting and taxation.  She has previously worked with the accounting team of one of the largest marketing organizations in India and on a foreign stock exchange.  She moved to the United States in 2002 and started her career here working as a tax associate for a national firm.  A Chartered Accountant from India, she also has a BS in Accounting and successfully completed the May 2003 CPA exam.  In her leisure hours, she likes to watch movies of Audrey Hepburn and Alfred Hitchcock.  She also enjoys traveling.  She lives with her husband and daughter in Framingham.

Terri Delaney

Terri Delaney is a staff member who is highly proficient in the areas of bookkeeping, payroll, and sales taxes.  She has had extensive experience in private industry, first with Sudbury Systems and then with ADI Reporting Services.  She also ran her own bookkeeping firm.  She helps clients organize and resolve multi-state sales tax issues, customer invoicing as it relates to international clients, and other bookkeeping intricacies.  Terri is not just computer literate;  she is familiar with more than twenty software programs.  She currently lives in the MetroWest area with her two children.

Fred Harrison

Fred Harrison is a staff member with extensive experience in the corporate accounting arena, having worked in various controllership roles.  Fred specializes in the outsourced accounting division of the firm, and assists clients with accounting, payroll, sales tax and financial reporting matters.  He began his career in law, with a JD from Brooklyn Law School, and lives in Needham with his wife and daughter.

Helaine Hartman Cohen, C.P.A.

Helaine Hartman Cohen is a C.P.A. who has a background that includes public accounting and private industry. She has also started several small businesses and taught accounting at the college level. Prior to joining the firm, Helaine worked for a local public accounting firm and was involved in the preparation of financial statements and business and individual tax returns. Ms. Cohen received her BA from the University of Pennsylvania and her MBA with a concentration in accounting from Boston University. She is a Certified Public Accountant in three states and is a member of the AICPA and MSCPA. She lives in Sudbury with her husband and family.

Michelle Higgins

Michelle Higgins brings a variety of experience from the accounting world. Prior to joining the firm, Michelle worked at a public firm on corporate tax returns, financial statements, bookkeeping, payroll and sales tax. Originally from Vancouver, British Columbia, she now resides in Bellingham, with her two daughters.

Elena Johnson

Originally from Russia, Elena moved to the United States in 2004. During her time in Russia she studied accounting and tax law as well as worked for the Russian State Department of Taxation auditing corporate tax returns. Prior to joining the firm, Elena worked in the accounting department for a Virginia based construction company and also spent several years working for a firm preparing individual income tax returns. In addition to her responsibilities with the firm, Elena is enrolled as an undergraduate at Salem State College's Business Administration program with a concentration in accounting. After graduating she plans to take the CPA exam. Elena lives with her husband in Salem.

Kenneth L. Kadis, C.P.A.

Ken Kadis is a CPA who devotes his time to going through the multiple tasks necessary to prepare complex tax returns.  Prior to joining the firm in 1997, Ken spent nearly two decades with three of the top mid-sized accounting firms in the area.  He has prepared tax returns for a multi-unit nursing home company; he was in charge of certified audit and tax work for a major garment manufacturer; and he worked for Bolt, Beranek & Newman when they were developing Telcomp, a precursor to the Internet. Ken received his B.A. from Bentley and an M.B.A. from Babson in 1983.  He lives in Brookline with his wife.  In his spare time, Ken, a Diamond Life Master, and his wife compete nationally in duplicate bridge tournaments.

Sherry M. Kwaak, CPA

Sherry is a CPA with a diverse background in public and private accounting.  Prior to joining the firm, Sherry worked in public accounting on financial statement audits and corporate tax returns, and in private accounting as the controller of a local not-for-profit.  Her experiences have exposed her to various industries and several aspects of financial and tax accounting.  Sherry completed a 5-year program at Bentley College in 2000 to earn her B.S. in Accounting, M.S. in Accounting Information Systems and a Graduate Certificate in Taxation.  Always eager to learn more, Sherry is still enrolled at Bentley College and is currently pursuing her M.S. in Taxation.  In her spare time, Sherry enjoys attending sporting events and rollerblading along the Charles River.

Marcia Nickerson

Marcia joined the firm in February of 2006.  She brings a variety of experience in the administration and accounting fields to the firm.  Prior to joining the firm, Marcia worked in payroll and human resources for a record label company and was an office manager and sales assistant for an inventor in San Diego, CA.  She has four children and three grandchildren and now resides in Salem, MA.

Traci Paquin

Traci comes from a diverse background as a child of naval officer and spent much of her younger years in foreign countries. Drawing from her vast experiences in retail, the hospitality industry, and non-profits she brings a myriad of know-how to our administrative team. During her down time you can often find her reading or experimenting in the kitchen.

Kristin M. Perez, C.P.A.

Kristin Perez is a C.P.A. who has spent time working both in private industry and in public accounting.  Prior to joining the firm, Kristin was the controller of a custom training development company, and previously worked as the assistant controller of a pre-IPO market research firm.  She began her career in the accounting profession working in the tax department of a mid-sized regional firm.  Originally from Norwell, MA, Kristin earned a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Massachusetts and an M.B.A. in Finance from Bentley College.  She resides in the Metrowest area with her husband and three children.

Parul Shah

Parul Shah holds a Masters in Accounting from the University of Mumbai. Parul brings strong international experience in the areas of accounting, auditing and taxation. During 2006 she relocated to the United States from Bombay, India, and is currently pursuing her CPA. Among her many interests Parul enjoys listening to music and learning about new cultures. Currently she resides in Malden with her husband.

Amanda Siano

In 2006 Amanda joined the firm to lend part time support to the administrative infrastructure of the company.  In her role as administrative assistant, Amanda assists in maintaining the client database, and aids in the many day to day administrative tasks that arise.  Amanda draws her administrative skills from over 10 years in the corporate world, most recently overseeing the administrative operations for a software company in the manufacturing industry.  Currently, she and her family reside in the Merrimack Valley area.

Elizabeth A. Welch

Elizabeth Welch is a staff member who has amassed an unusual amount of experience in the accounting world in a short period of time.  A graduate of Bryant College in Accounting, Elizabeth has worked for the firm on a part-time basis since 1996.  She mastered the internal workings of the office and took on numerous administrative responsibilities while a summer employee.  When she became an intern, she began working on in-depth accounting and tax matters.  Today, as a part-time employee, she handles a variety of accounting transactions, sales tax returns and state and tax registrations for clients.  She is a resident of Boston.

Return to Top